Hearing Loss Association of America is a wonderful organization that helps people with hearing loss through support advocacy and education. I have found many wonderful friendships from being part of this organization. From those friendship forges the ability to advocate and educate others about hearing loss and HLAA.

The Hearing Loss Association of America has grown from a small grassroots organization called Self Help for Hard of Hearing People, Inc. (SHHH) to become 'The Nation's Voice for People with Hearing ... more

The Hearing Loss Association of America, Inc., a consumer based organization, which was formerly known as Self Help for Hard of Hearing People, Inc., has done more to create an awareness of the uniqueness of partial deafness than any other organization in the world. There are millions of hard of hearing Americans. According to the National Institutes of Health 50 million are affected by this invisible condition. SHHH/HLAA has educated, advocated and provided peer support since its founding in 1979. Prior to receiving information from this organization my life was falling apart. I was a 40-something who had given up my career because I didn't hear well, and felt I was being unfair to my students. I felt isolated and misunderstood. I had received no information from my hearing healthcare professionals about assistive technology that could enhance my hearing instruments. I learned what I know from people, like me, who have hearing loss; members of HLAA. I'm most grateful to this organization for the work it does. Today, I'm comfortable living in the hearing mainstream in spite of progressive sensorineural hearing loss. I now have a cochlear implant, something I would likely not have done, had it not been for the opportunity to meet others through HLAA who had gone before me. It is a miracle, as are the new hearing aids that can do so much more than they could do even a decade ago. HLAA has been a frontrunner in promoting research and development in both medicine and technology, legislation, and the kind of personal support that hard of hearing people need. Chapters of HLAA are located throughout the United States,. Many more should be formed. I can't say enough about the importance of the work HLAA does.

Ways to make it better...

If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...

Find the financial support to create regional offices that would make it possible to reach more people.

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How would you describe the help you got from this organization?

Life-changing

How likely are you to recommend this organization to a friend?

Definitely

How do you feel you were treated by this organization?

Very Well

When was your last experience with this nonprofit?

The Hearing Loss Association of America has grown from a small grassroots organization called Self Help for Hard of Hearing People, Inc. (SHHH) to become 'The Nation's Voice for People with Hearing Loss', as The Hearing Loss Association of America, Inc. (HLAA) today. No other consumer based organization had reached out to people with partial deafness prior to SHHH. A major achievement of SHHH was to identify the much larger hard of hearing population as being separate from the better known population that embraces Deafness as a culture. By so doing, medical research has increased remarkably in the field of deafness, in spite of the fact that Deaf Culture advocates (Less than 1% of the whole 32 million Americans with hearing loss) continue to oppose curing the disability to preserve the culture. Without the force of SHHH/HLAA the advancements in cochlear implants, hearing instruments and other hearing assistive technologies would likely be way behind where they are today. Against many odds, HLAA has made a positive difference in the way the public perceives people with hearing loss. And, I believe the organization can achieve much more than it has already if it has more resources.

The Great!

I've personally experienced the results of this organization in...

I learned about SHHH in 1983, and knew I needed to be involved. I was 40 years old. Hearing loss had cut my career short & was pushing me towards social isolation. SHHH changed my life. Through active involvement, I regained self confidence & learned how to cope more positively with my progressive hearing loss. I have had the opportunity to watch others grow as I did. I sincerely recommend membership in HLAA to anyone who wants to live well with hearing loss; theirs or someone else’s.

Ways to make it better...

If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...

HLAA is wonderful the way it is, but must find the financial resources that will allow it to reach more of the 32 million Americans who can benefit from the education, information, advocacy and support the organization is capable of providing.

HLAA teaches people how to cope with hearing loss. It is the best source of information on assistive devices and how to hear in challenging situations. HLAA is my favorite non profit because it does its job of educating hard of hearing well. What a difference HLAA made in my life. It gave me the tools to succeed in Graduate School.

While in the receiving line at my wedding my Mom realized she couldn't hear the names of people introduced to her. Her hearing continued to decline and she was fitted for stronger and stronger hearing... more

My mom had profound hearing loss from about the age of 45 years. My dad understood what she was going through but I really didn't get it. She got involved with Rocky and Amie and SHHH and her life improved dramatically. Then I lost my hearing and eventually was put on the HLAA national board. After the 2nd meeting several board members took me aside and told me I should go to NYU to be evaluated for a cochlear implant. I did this and shortly thereafter Dr. Thomas Roland implanted a cochlear on my left side. I feel so lucky to have gotten my life back and I owe it to HLAA.

While in the receiving line at my wedding my Mom realized she couldn't hear the names of people introduced to her. Her hearing continued to decline and she was fitted for stronger and stronger hearing aids bilaterally. Going to social events was difficult in spite of my father's translating much of what was being said. It got to the point that she didn't want to go out. Then my parents met Rocky and Ahmy Stone and attended the SHHH Conference in Chicago. Those two events were life changers for my mom. She learned to speak up for herself and started the first SHHH (later to be renamed HLAA) chapters in Winnetka, IL and Sarasota, FL. She also taught lip reading for over 35 years.

Thus when my hearing began to go I knew to ask for hearing aids. I received one in my right ear but was told that I was deaf in my left ear and a hearing aid would not help that ear and I was not a candidate for a cochlear implant. After asking for a cochlear implant for several years I was told by fellow HLAA trustees to get out of the state in which I live and go to New York. I now have a cochlear implant and have my life back.

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Will you volunteer or donate to this organization beyond what is required of board members?

Definitely

How much of an impact do you think this organization has?

Life-changing

Will you tell others about this organization?

Definitely

When was your last experience with this nonprofit?

I am a late-deafened adult. By that, I mean that I once heard typically and over the course of the years I lost my ability to hear. Because of the Hearing Loss Association of America and its caring members, I learned about hearing assistive technology and how to live well in spite of my hearing loss. Because of the education, information, advocacy, and support provided to me by these HLAA members, I found hearing-friendly workplaces, underwent bi-lateral cochlear implantation, auditory rehabilitation, and learned about assistive listening devices and more effective communication strategies. None of that would have happened had the first Hearing Loss Association of America member not reached out to me. My story is not unique. This organization changes lives!

I joined HLAA f/k/a SHHH in 1998 at the age of 46 when I lost my hearing. The members and staff of this organization changed my life and made my loss of hearing much more manageable than I thought it would be. I have been involved with this organization in various capacities, but what I like most is passing on the knowledge that I gained from HLAA and the people whom I have met as a result of my membership in this organization. In 2000 I had the privilege of meeting Rocky Stone, the founder of SHHH, at the annual convention. He knew who I was before I even introduced myself. I was impressed top say the least and will never forget that experience. HLAA has been nothing but good experiences for me, and I amgrateful to Rocky Stone for having founded this organization.

Like so many with hearing loss, I was in denial. I was about 30 and gradually losing my hearing, and just didn't want to believe it could become a real problem. I was a professional working for a large corporation, and finally got hearing aids when I became a manager and really need to hear my best. They helped for a while, but as my loss increased, I really needed to take advantage of additional features that was starting to emerge in hearing aids and assistive technology.

My Wife and Daughter were a major support for me, but I still didn't understand how much technology and strategies could help me, until my Wife literally dragged my to my first HLAA meeting. I didn't want to go (see "denial", above), but was surprised to find a great group of people who knew so much more than I did about hearing aids, assistive technology (like hearing aid features, FM and telecoils) and strategies for making the most of my hearing. I have never been a "joiner", but I was hooked because of the great people I met and how much they helped me.

That was 25 years ago. I've now got a cochlear implant, all the best assistive technology and strategies. After retiring, at 50, I wondered how I'd ever work again, but since then, I've been hired by three great company and am happily still with latest and best of them ... a fact that I attribute, at least in part, to how much HLAA helped me be good at having a hearing loss.

If you've got a hearing loss, then join HLAA immediately. If you have a friend or family member with hearing loss, buy them a membership and go with them to meetings and conferences. Volunteer, and you'll never be without good friends and support. Donate and you'll be making a difference for everyone with hearing loss.

Ways to make it better...

If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...

I wouldn't change the organization ... except to encourage everyone with hearing loss and all hearing loss professionals to join and support HLAA.

More feedback...

When was your last experience with this nonprofit?

HLAA saved me from a life of sudden deafness and the isolation it brought by supporting me with the guidance and educating me with the tools, both of which I needed to communicate with people again. The result has been a much more active family, social and career-restoring lifestyle than I thought I could ever experience again.

Ways to make it better...

If I had to make changes to this organization, I would...

....not change a thing within the organization, but ask foundations, donors and media to fully support HLAA's cause so it could reach most of the 48 million Americans coping with hearing loss alone and provide them with the much needed tools to change their lives for the better.

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Would you volunteer for this group again?

Definitely

For the time you spent, how much of an impact did you feel your work or activity had?

I've just joined my local chapter and really enjoyed meeting the welcoming, fun people. Based on what I've seen and read about in the newsletters, I think it's going to be a great place for me to keep informed about new technologies (I wear bilateral hearing aids) as well as join efforts to implement hearing technology at local venues.